Customer management terminal equipment, customer managing method, and media for customer management

Abstract: Customer management terminal equipment suitable for managing information on customers at multiservice stations including retail shops such as department houses, financial institutions such as banks, and gas stations. The terminal equipment includes a first converting means 2 for converting customer information including customer identification information and transaction information into two-dimensional bar-code information; and a two-dimensional bar-code issuing means 3 for issuing a two-dimensional bar-code 6, based on two-dimensional information from the first converting means 2. Dealings is made with a customer, based on customer identification information and transaction information on a dealing with a customer corresponding to the customer identification information.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1) Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a customer management terminal equipment suitable for managing information on customers at multiservice stations including retail shops such as department houses, financial institutions such as banks, gas stations. The present invention also relates to a customer managing method and media for customer management. 2) Description of the Related Art Recently, in order to grope for various types of broad servicing to customers, systems each that manages information on dealings with customers are being introduced in retail shops such as department stores, financial institutions such as banks, vehicle repair shops, or related fields. In addition to selling goods, some retail shops, for example, are introducing the system (for example, TOMONOKAI, a profit sharing group) where a shop owner registers a customer as a membership, saves a reserve fund for the membership, and provides a special service beyond the reserve fund. In such a system, a registered member deposits a fixed amount of money every fixed intervals (e.g. each month). At the day of expiration, or the time when money has been completely deposited a predetermined number of times, gift certificates corresponding to the accumulated deposit money plus its interest, for example, are given to the member. The above-described reserve servicing system, for example, is carried out in accordance with the process shown with the schematic diagrams of Figs. 10 and 11. Referring to Fig. 10, to apply for a membership for reserve-servicing, a customer fills necessary matters in a prescribed application form 100 and then hands over it to an operator in charge of the reserve servicing. The operator operates the terminal equipment 101 such as POS (Point-of-Sale) terminals, based on the matters written on the application form 100, to input information (customer's name and reserve servicing) on the customer, assigns a membership number (customer's No.), and registers the customer information and the membership No. into the customer master file 102 within the host 105 including the terminal equipment 101. Then, a membership card 103 on which customer identification information (e.g. a membership No.) carried by a customer is hand-written or a membership card (magnetic card) 103A on which the information is recorded as magnetic information is issued. When a registered member deposits a fixed amount of money every predetermined intervals, the operator, as shown in Fig. 11, operates the keyboard to read the membership No. (customer No.) stored in his membership card 103 (or 103A) in the terminal equipment 101, and then retrieves information regarding customers stored in the customer master file 102 within the host 105 to display the information on the screen 104 of the terminal equipment 101. Thereafter, when the operator receives money from the customer, she executes a certain necessary updating process in accordance with the information displayed on the screen 104. Then the host 105 registers the updated information regarding the customer into the customer master file 102. This procedure allows the customer to enjoy the above-mentioned reserve servicing. Some systems each by which a financial institution such as a bank can offer the time-deposit service to customers perform the procedure shown with the schematic diagrams in Figs. 12(a) and 12(b). In other words, when a customer applies for a time-deposit service, he fills necessary matters in the prescribed application form 110 and then hands it over an operator in charge of the time-deposit servicing. The operator operates the terminal equipment 111 based on the matters written on the application form 110 to input customer information (information regarding a customer's address and name, and a time deposit service). Thereafter, the operator completes the bank servicing by preparing and issuing a time deposit deed 112 recording the customer information. Then at the end of the procedure, the customer information is stored into the time-deposit file 113 in the host 114 accommodating the terminal equipment 111. The customer keeps the time deposit deed 112 handed from the operator. The time deposit is set by the above-procedure. The procedure shown in Fig. 12(b) is performed at the expiration of the time deposit and an cancellation of the same. That is, the customer shows his time-deposit deed 112 to an operator at a window in a financial institution to apply for the repayment due to the expiration or cancellation of the time deposit. The operator operates the keyboard to input the information regarding the customer recorded on the deed into the terminal equipment 111 and prepares data regarding the time deposit deed 112 on the screen of the terminal equipment 111. The data on the screen of the terminal equipment 111 is collated with the content registered in the time deposit file 113 within the host 114. If both contents coincides with to each other, the operator executes a routine repaying process. Such a procedure allows the customer to enjoy the time deposit service. The institution that provides various kinds of services to customers generally manages the contents of offered services and provides the same on the serviced customers. Some service stations such as gas stations that provide services for vehicles execute the procedure shown in Fig. 13 to manage the service contents to customers. Namely, a members card 120 in which the customer identification information are recorded is issued to a customer. When the customer is to be served, the operator reads the customer identification information recorded on the members card 120 using the card information reading unit (e.g. a magnetic card reader) 122 equipped in the terminal equipment 121. The operator operates the terminal equipment 121 to input the service contents (in this case, e.g. vehicle maintenance and oil exchange) received by a customer, thus registering the input data into the customer file 123 within the host 124 accomodating the terminal equipment 121. This procedure can manage contents served to the customer. However, in the reserve servicing systems shown in Figs. 10 and 12 among the above-descried customer information managing means, the customer management information process is performed in such a manner that an operator operates the terminal equipment 101 to input the customer identification information, thus retrieving data recorded in the customer master file 102. Hence there is a disadvantage in that the memory capacity of the customer master file 102 must be increased with an increasing number of customers so that the system maintenance cost is boosted. In the system that realizes a customer's time-deposit servicing shown in Figs. 12(a) and 12(b) in a financial institution such as a bank, an operator verifies the customer information regarding the expiration of the time deposit, based on the time-deposit deed 112 brought by the customer and then must reenter the data written on the time-deposit deed 112 into the terminal equipment 111. Hence, this system burdens the operator with an increased amount of work, thus causing an erroneous data entry and prolonging the service time at the window. Moreover, in order to verify the day, time, place, type of services provided previously, and the like, the service content managing means at a multiservice station that provides services for vehicles must retrieve data registered into the customer file 123. As a result, the system constructing cost is increased. It may be considered that information previously serviced is hand-written to record into the members card 120, instead of the customer file 123. However, there is a disadvantage in that the measures may lead to an increase in the service supplier's burden. GB-A-2 258 749 describes a data processing and handling system comprising one or more stations at which machine readable data on a smart card comprising a microcomputer chip or a magnetic card can be read and/or updated. The stored data comprise user's identity, status and credit position. EP-A-0 368 475 describes that a smart card stores information identifying the customer, credit rating and account details which may enable a computer to be put into direct contact with a customer's bank account. Use of two-dimensional bar-codes (e.g. Code PDF 417) is well-known as such. US-A-5,243,655 describes that such a bar-code can be employed as an inexpensive read-only-memory making access to a remote database superfluous. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is made to overcome the above mentioned problems. An object of the present invention is to provide customer management terminal equipment where the simplified system configuration realizes cost suppression, an operator's quick processing, an increased customer management function, and fully-enlarged service content to customers. Another object of the present invention is to provide a customer managing method which can provide the above-described features. Still another object of the invention is to provide media for customer management which can provide the above-described features. In order to achieve the above objects, according to the present invention, a customer management terminal equipment is provided according to Claim 1 and Claim 2, respectively. According to the present invention, a customer managing method according to Claim 6 is provided. Furthermore, according to the present invention, a customer management medium according to Claim 14 is provided. The two-dimensional bar-code issuing means can convert customer information including customer identification information and customer-transaction information corresponding to the customer identification information into a two-dimensional bar-code. A customer can carry the two-dimensional bar-code information as medium for customer management. The customer-transaction information can be managed with a simplified system configuration. The time for procedure to customers can be shortened so that services to customers can be largely improved. The higher-rank equipment to the customer management terminal equipment does not require any customer master file to store the customer information. This feature allows the system to be constructed at largely reduced cost and does not require enlarging the system with an increasing number of customers. Moreover, this invention does not require preparing a customer master file to store the contents of service, thus allowing the system to be constructed at very low cost. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an aspect of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment according to the present invention; Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the system configuration of customer management terminal equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing the display aspect of a display for a customer management terminal equipment being an embodiment according to the present invention; Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example where a two-dimensional bar-code issued with a printer is put on a membership card being an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 6 is a flowchart used for explaining the operation of an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 7(a) is a schematic diagram showing the operation of an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 7(b) is a schematic diagram showing the operation of an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 8(a) is a schematic diagram showing the operation of a first modification of an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 8(b) is a schematic diagram showing the operation of a first modification of an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 9 (a) is a schematic diagram showing the operation of a second modification of an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 9 (b) is a schematic diagram showing the operation of a second modification of an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a general reserve servicing system; Fig. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a general reserve servicing system; Fig. 12(a) is a schematic diagram showing a general time deposit servicing system; Fig. 12(b) is a schematic diagram showing a general time deposit servicing system; and Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a system that manages the contents of the services to which are offered to customers at a general service station. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the attached drawings, explanation will be made as for an aspect of the present invention. (a) The Aspect of the Invention: Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an aspect of the present invention. Referring to Fig. 1, the customer management terminal equipment 1 processes dealings with customers, based on customer identification information inherent in customer and customer transaction information corresponding to the customer identification information. The customer management terminal equipment 1 includes a first converting means 2, a bar-code issuing means 3, a two-dimensional bar-code reading means 4, and a second converting means 5. The first converting means 2 converts the customer information including customer identification information and transaction information into two-dimensional bar-code information. The bar-code issuing means 3 issues a two-dimensional bar-code 6, based on the two-dimensional bar-code information from the first converting means 2. The two-dimensional bar-code 6 is stuck on the customer management medium 7 carried by a customer to manage information regarding customers. The two-dimensional bar-code reading means 4 reads the two-dimensional bar-code 6 including customer information. The second converting means 5 converts the two-dimensional bar-code information read by the two-dimensional reading means 4 into customer information. The customer management terminal equipment 1 treats transaction information including reserving services for registered members, time deposit, and information serviced to customers in a multiservice station. The two-dimensional bar-code 6 issued by the two-dimensional bar-code issuing means 3 in the customer management terminal equipment 1 is kept by a customer. In the second transaction with the customer or later, the bar-code reading means 4 in the customer management terminal equipment 1 reads the customer's two-dimensional bar-code 6. Then the second converting means 5 converts the two-dimensional bar-code information into customer information to manage the transaction information regarding dealings with the customer in accordance with customer identification information inherent in the customer. When the customer management terminal equipment 1 completes the customer dealing process, the first converting means 2 converts customer information including the customer identification information and the new transaction information obtained by the dealing process into two-dimensional bar-code information. Then the two-dimensional bar-code issuing means 3 issues the two-dimensional bar-code information as a two-dimensional bar-code 6. The customer carries the two-dimensional bar-code 6 issued by the bar-code issuing means 3. The transaction information regarding the reserving service for the registered member can be managed according to the customer identification information inherent in the customer. In this case, the customer carries a registered membership card (medium 7 for customer management) on which the two-dimensional bar-code 6 is stuck. Moreover, the transaction information regarding time-deposit can be managed according to the customer information inherent in the customer. In this case, the customer keeps a time-deposit deed (medium 7 for customer management) on which the two-dimensional bar-code 6 is stuck. The service information to the customers in a multiservice station can be managed according to the customer identification information inherent in the customer. In this case, the customer carries a service card (medium 7 for customer management) with the two-dimensional bar-code 6 stuck thereon. Where the multiservice station provides a service for a customer's vehicle, the two-dimensional bar-code 6 is stuck on the vehicle and at a readable position where it can be viewed from outside the vehicle. As for the customer management terminal equipment 1, the medium 7 for customer management, and the customer managing method, since transaction information such as a reserve service, a time-deposit and services at a multiservice station is managed by storing in the form of the two-dimensional bar-code (issued from the two-dimensional bar-code issuing means 3) 6 owned by the customer, it is unnecessary that the higher level equipment to the customer management terminal equipment 1 manages the transaction information regarding all of the customers. In the second transaction and later, without retrieving to upper equipment and re-inputting through the keyboard, the transaction information regarding each customer can be obtained by merely reading the two-dimensional bar-code 6 of the customer with the two-dimensional bar-code reading means 4. As described above, according to the present invention, the two-dimensional bar-code issuing means 3 converts customer information into a two-dimensional bar-code, the customer information including customer identification information and customer transaction information corresponding to the customer identification information. The customer carries the two-dimensional bar-code information as medium 7 for customer management. Without executing the host retrieving and the re-inputting, all of customer information and other information associated with the customer information can be restored merely by reading the two-dimensional bar-code 6 with the bar-code reading means 4. Therefore there is an advantage in that simplified equipment can manage the customer transaction information, reduce the time taken for the service procedure to the customer, and contribute to an improved service to customers. Moreover, there is an advantage in that since the upper level equipment of the customer management terminal equipment 1 does not require any customer master file storing customer information, the system constituting cost can be largely reduced, whereby it is not needed to enlarge the system with an increasing number of customers. Furthermore, when a time deposit deed is issued in the time-deposit service, the customer information such as customer's name, address, the expiration date of time deposit, interest and denomination can be recorded in the form of the two-dimensional bar-code 6. Hence, the deed verifying process where the operator verifies the customer information regarding the expiration or cancellation of a time deposit can be performed merely by reading the two-dimensional bar-code 6 with the two-dimensional bar-code reading means 4. This feature eliminates to reenter data written on the time-deposit deed brought by a customer. This feature also can reduce the operator's work burden, thus verifying customer information quickly, certainly and efficiently. In the system that manages the contents of services conducted to customers in a multiservice station, since the content of the service previously received by a customer can be recorded on the two-dimensional bar-code 6, the customer can review the same at his next drop-in. Hence the customer can advantageously receive suitable services. Moreover, there is an advantage in that since no customer master file is needed to store the contents of services, the system can be constructed at very reduced cost. (b) Explanation of an Embodiment: Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a customer management terminal equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Fig. 2, the customer management terminal equipment 9, for example, is applied to the counter terminal of the POS terminal in a retail shop. The customer management terminal equipment 9 is used for the system (e.g. TOMONOKAI, a profit sharing group) where a customer registered as membership reserves money and then enjoys special services over the reserve fund. In other words, the customer management terminal equipment 9 registers members as customer identification information inherent in customers and performs a dealing process with a customer, based on the registered customer identification information and the transaction information regarding the time deposit of a customer corresponding to the customer information. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the customer management terminal equipment 9 includes a terminal body 10, a printer 14, and a scanner 15. The terminal body 10, as shown in Fig. 2, is formed of a display 12, a bar-code information converting unit 13, a customer information converting unit 16, and a control unit 17. The operator operates the keyboard 11 to newly input customer information including a customer's address and name and information as transaction information regarding a reserve fund into the control unit 17 or to update them. The display 12 controlled by the control unit 17 displays customer identification information and information regarding a reserve fund on the screen so that the operator can edit them with the keyboard 11. As shown in Fig. 4, the display 12, for example, can display customer identification information such as a customer No. and name, reserve fund information such as the course name of reserve fund, the amount of a reserve fund, and the day of expiration, the face value of a shopping thicket issued as a special service for a reserve fund, and the transaction history of a customer. The bar-code information converting unit (first converting means) 13 is controlled by the control unit 17 to convert customer information including new customer identification information and transaction information input from the keyboard 11 and customer information updated through the keyboard 11 into two-dimensional bar-code information (e.g. PDF417). Moreover, the printer (two-dimensional bar-code issuing means) 14 prints and issues the two-dimensional bar-code (shown in Figs. 3 and 5) 20, based on the customer information converted into two-dimensional bar-code information by the bar-code information converting unit 13. The printer 14 may functionally print the customer information of the two-dimensional bar-code information onto the two-dimensional bar-code 20, together with the information (characters displayed) just before the customer information is converted into the two-dimensional bar-code information. The two-dimensional bar-code 20, obtained by encoding characters such as alphanumerical characters, Kana characters, or Chinese characters, has a memory capacity (e.g. several hundreds kB) further larger than the conventional bar code. Letter information can be encoded without any change so that data read (here, customer information) can be maintained as they are. Hence, the bar-code information converting unit 13 encodes the customer information formed of alphanumerical, Kana or Chinese characters into two-dimensional bar-code information without any change. The printer 14 issues the information as the two-dimensional bar-code 20. The scanner (two-dimensional bar-code reading means) 15 reads in the two-dimensional bar-code 20 including customer information. Moreover, the customer information converting unit (second converting means) 16 converts the two-dimensional bar-code information read by the scanner 14 into customer information. The control unit 17 controls comprehensively the customer management terminal equipment 9. As described above, the control unit 17 controls to display both input information regarding customer information from the keyboard 11 and customer information from the customer information converting unit 16 on the display 12 and to issue the two-dimensional bar-code 20 by the printer 14. The two-dimensional bar-code 20 issued by the printer 14 is stuck on the membership card (registered membership card or medium for customer management) 18 carried with the customer. In the second dealing with the customer and later, the two-dimensional bar-code 20 of the membership card 18 owned by the customer is read with the scanner 15 of the customer management terminal equipment 9. Then the customer information converting means 16 converts the two-dimensional bar-code information into customer information to have dealings with the customer. When the operator terminates the updating and registering process of the customer information by manipulating the keyboard 11 or scanner 15 for the dealings with a customer, the bar-code information converting means 13 converts the customer information including the customer identification information and new transaction information obtained by the dealing process into two-dimensional information. Then the printer 14 issues the two-dimensional information as two-dimentional bar-code 20. The customer replaces the previous two-dimensional bar-code on the membership card 18 with the newly issued two-dimensional bar-code 20 by sticking it thereon. The operation of an embodiment with above-system configuration according to the present invention will be explained below according to the flow charts shown in Fig. 6, with reference to Figs. 7(a) and 7(b). As shown in Fig. 6, a customer goes to an operator in charge of the customer management terminal equipment 9 to register (enter) a membership to the reserve servicing system (e.g. TOMONOKAI, a profit sharing group) or to select the regular money deposit if he is a registered member. (step A1). If the customer wants to enter the system (YES in the step A2), he must fill the appointed matters (including customer identification information such as customer's No. and name, reserve information such as a course name of reserve fund, the amount of reserve fund, the date of expiration, the face value of a shopping ticket issued as a special service for a reserve fund, and transaction history) in a prescribed application form 19 and then hand an operator it. The operator enters the data of the application form 19 using the keyboard 11 of the customer management terminal equipment 9, while referring to data on the display 12 (step A3). When the appointed matters are input into the customer management terminal equipment 9, the operator assigns a specific membership number (a customer No.) and then manipulates a bar-code issuing key (not shown) of the keyboard 11 (step A4). Before issuing bar-code, the appointed matters may be once displayed on the display 12 to confirm the same. The control unit 17 (refer to Fig. 2) controls the bar-code information converting unit 13 to convert all the customer information input from the keyboard 11 into two-dimensional bar-code information (step A5). The printer 14 prints and issues the two-dimensional bar-code information as a two-dimensional bar-code 20 (step A6). The two-dimensional bar-code 20 issued from the printer 14, as shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 7(a), is stuck on the membership card 18 where a newly set membership No., a name, an address, family's member names, a reserve fund course, the day of expiration, and the amount of a reserve fund are written. The membership card 18 is handed the customer. Thus the application procedure is completed. In order to deposit a reserve fund at the shop next time, the customer has to bring the membership card 18. In this case, although the two-dimensional bar-code 20 and various necessary matters are separately printed on the membership card 18, they may be printed at the same time on the membership card 18. When a registered member deposits money (NO decision in the step A2), an operator, as shown in Fig. 7(b), reads the two-dimensional bar-code 20 stuck on his membership card 18 using the scanner 15 (step A7). The customer information converting unit 16 converts the two-dimensional bar-code information read by the scanner 15 into original customer information formed of character information (step A8) and then displays the outcome on the display 12 under the control of the control unit 17 (step A9). Then the operator operates the keyboard 11 to input the amount of a reserve fund brought by the customer, over referring data on the display 12, thus updating the customer information (step A10). In the step A10, at the completion of the customer information updating, the operator operates a bar-code issuing key (not shown) of the keyboard 11 (step A11). In response to the operator's bar-code issuing key operation, the control unit 17 controls the bar-code information converting unit 13 to convert the updated customer information into two-dimensional bar-code information (step A12). Then the printer 14 prints and issues the two-dimensional bar-code information converted by the bar-code information converting unit 13 as a two-dimensional bar-code 20 (step A13). The two-dimensional bar-code 20 issued by the printer 14 is newly restuck on the membership card 18, instead of the original two-dimensional bar-code stuck thereon. Thus the updating procedure is completed. As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, since the necessary customer information can be recorded and maintained as two-dimensional bar-code 20, it is unnecessary to set a customer master file to store the customer information of all customers into the higher level equipment (host) to the customer management terminal equipment 9. Hence, there is an advantage in that the system constructing cost can be largely reduced and it is unnecessary to enlarge the system with an increasing number of customers. Moreover, since reading merely the two-dimensional bar-code 20 allows a capture of customer information and no access retrieving time to the customer master file, customer information can be utilized efficiently and at short access time. As a result, there is an advantage in that the procedure time to customers can be reduced and the services to customers can be largely improved. The customer master file may be stored in the host. In this case, according to the present embodiment, since customer information can be respectively obtained from the two-dimensional bar-code 20, it is unnecessary to connect the customer management terminal equipment to the host. The data of the customer master file stored in the host can be updated by transmitting data updated after the periodic process to the host. In this case, even if the customer management terminal equipment 9 is not be connected to the host, the data can be updated by obtaining the customer information with reference to the content of the two-dimensional bar-code 20. The host updating can be performed later via the memory media. This updating system is particularly efficient when the reserving process is carried out using the POS system. (b1) Explanation of First Modification of the Embodiment: In the above-embodiment, the case where a money reserving system is applied for the customer management terminal equipment 9 has been described. The first modification where a financial institution such as a bank uses the customer management terminal equipment 9 as a time-deposit serving system will be explained later with reference to Figs. 8(a) and 8(b). As shown in Figs. 8(a) and 8(b), this modification is basically the same as the system configuration of the foregoing embodiment, except that the customer management terminal equipment 9 is housed in the host 29 having the time-deposit file 30 and the two-dimensional bar-code 24, which is issued with the printer 14 and carried by a customer, records and holds customer information regarding the customer's address, name, and time-deposit service. Information regarding the time-deposit service includes in concrete the day of expiration of a time-deposit, an interest, and a denomination. The modified system configuration of the embodiment operates as follows: Referring now to Fig. 8(a), when a customer applies for a time-deposit service, he fills the necessary matters (information regarding a customer's address, name and a time-deposit service) in a prescribed application form 21. Then he presents the complete application form 21 to an operator in charge of the customer management terminal equipment 9 to receive a time-deposit service. The operator manipulates the customer management terminal equipment 9 in accordance to the matter written the application form 21 to input the customer information regarding a customer's address, name and a time-deposit service). When the appointed matters has been completely input, the operator prepares a time-deposit deed (medium for customer management) 23 and then issues the two-dimensional bar-code 24 by operating the bar-code issuing key of the keyboard 11. Namely, in response to the operation of the bar-code issuing key, the control unit 17 (shown in Fig. 2) controls the bar-code information converting unit 13 to convert all the customer information input from the keyboard 11 into two-dimensional bar-code information. The printer 14 prints and issues the information as the two-dimensional bar-code 24. Thereafter, the operator subjects the cash 22 from the customer to a money depositing process and then registers and stores the customer information input through the keyboard 11 into the time-deposit file 30 in the host 29. The two-dimensional bar-code 24 printed out of the printer 14 is stuck on the time-deposit deed 23 prepared for a time deposit. The time-deposit deed 23 is received by the customer. Thus the application procedure has been completed. When the customer cancels the time-deposit because of the expiration or cancellation, he carries the time-deposit deed 23 with him to the bank to request the procedure or process shown in Fig. 8(b). In response to the customer's request, the operator reads the two-dimensional bar-code 24 on the time-deposit deed 23 brought by the customer using the scanner 15. The customer information converting unit 16 converts the two-dimensional bar-code information read with the scanner 15 into the original information formed of character information to display the data on the display 12. The control unit 17 checks the customer information read with the scanner 15 against the customer information stored in the time-deposit file 30 in the host 29. Since a coincidence of both the information proves the time-deposit deed 23 to be a genuine, the operator repays the customer the predetermined amount of money 24 for the expiration or cancellation. Thus the procedure for making an expiration or cancellation of a time-deposit has been completed. As described above, according to the first modification of the embodiment of the invention, when the time-deposit deed 23 is issued in the time-deposit service, the customer information regarding the customer's address, name , the day of expiration of the time deposit, the interest, the denomination is recorded and stored as the two-dimensional bar-code 24. Hence, in order to verify the customer information in the expiration or cancellation of the time deposit, an operator can perform the time-deposit deed verifying process merely by reading the two-dimensional bar-code 24 using the scanner 15. It is unnecessary to re-enter data written on the time-deposit deed 23 brought by the customer, using the keyboard 11. Hence, the system can release the operator's work amount, thus preventing an operator's erroneous inputting. There is an advantage in that customer information can be checked quickly, certainly, and efficiently so that services to customers can be improved. (b2) Explanation of Second modification of the Embodiment: In the second modification of the present embodiment, explanation will be made below as for the case where the customer management terminal equipment 9 is employed in the system that manages the content serviced to a customer (services for the motor-vehicle of a customer) at a service station or gas station, with reference to Fig. 9. As shown in Fig. 9, the customer management terminal equipment 9 according to the present modification is equipped as a service post at a gas station. The customer management terminal equipment 9 is basically same as the system configuration of the above-mentioned embodiment, except that the printer 14 issues the two-dimensional bar-code 31 on which the customer information regarding a customer's address, a name, and a service offered by the service station is recorded. In concrete, information regarding services offered by the service station includes the date at which gasoline was purchased, the amount of gasoline purchased, the fuel consumption operated based on a running distance inputting, the date of previous oil-exchange, and the date of previous car-wash. In the present modification, the two-dimensional bar-code 31 issued by the printer 14 is not stuck on the customer's membership card, but is stuck, as shown in Fig. 9, on the motor-vehicle 32 so as to be recognized from outside thereof. In Fig. 9, numeral 33 represents an oil filling machine and 34 represents a wash/repair shop. As for the present modification with the above-system configuration, the case where a customer wants some services at a service station will be explained below with reference to Fig. 9. When a customer in the motor-vehicle 32 drives into a service station (gas station), an operator reads the two-dimensional bar-code 31 on it with the scanner 15. The customer information converting 16 converts the two-dimensional bar-code information read out by the scanner 15 into the customer information formed of the original character information to display the outcome on the display 12. The display 12 displays information including the previous gasoline purchase date, the amount of gasoline purchased, fuel consumption operated based on the running distance inputting, the date at which oil was last exchanged, and the date of the last car wash. The operator checks the information and then decides the current service to be made with the fuel filling machine 33 or the car wash/repair shop 34. As for the fuel consumption operated based on a running distance inputting, for example, an operator operates the keyboard 11 (not shown in Fig. 9) to input the running distance reported from a customer. The operational processor (not shown) in the control unit 17 calculates the fuel consumption based on the consumption of gasoline to display the result on the display 12. When the customer has serviced, the operator operates the keyboard 11 of the customer management terminal equipment 9 to input the content of the offered service. Then the operator operates the bar-code issuing key on the keyboard 11 to make the printer 14 issue the two-dimensional bar-code 31. The two-dimensional bar-code 31 issued is stuck on the motor vehicle 32, in place of the bar-code which records the information regarding the previous services. This two-dimensional bar-code 31 may be stuck on a service card (medium for customer management), instead of the motor-vehicle 32. As described above, according to the present modification, the two-dimensional bar-code 31 can record and store the services received previously by customers in facilities (e.g. gas stations) such as service stations where various kinds of services are presented to customers. When the customer drops again in the service station, the operator can easily know the service content presented previously to the same, thus presenting a timely service suitable to the customer. Hence the above system configuration requires no customer master file to store the contents of services and allows the system to be constructed at very low cost. Moreover, in the case of the use of the host with the customer master file, the customer information can be accessed from the two-dimensional bar-code 31 so that it is unnecessary to connect the customer management terminal equipment 9 to the host. Moreover, according to the second modification, there is an advantage in that since the two-dimensional bar-code 31 stuck on the motor vehicle 32 can be read from outside the motor vehicle 32 without showing the card, a quick service can be made. In the present modification, the two-dimensional bar-code records the contents of services presented for motor vehicles, for example, at a gas station. However, it should note that the present invention is not limited only to the presented embodiments. It is obvious that the present invention can be applicable to systems that manages the contents of other services.

Claims: Customer management terminal equipment for supporting a transaction with a customer, based on customer information which includes customer identification information identifying the customer and transaction information relevant to the transaction with the identified customer and which is represented by a two-dimensional bar code (6), comprising: two-dimensional bar-code reading means (4) for reading a two-dimensional bar code (6) which represents the customer identification information and the transaction information updated for every transaction and which is issued for assignment to the identified customer for the last transaction; and converting means (5) for converting said two-dimensional bar code, which is read by said two-dimensional bar-code reading means (4) and was issued for the last transaction, into the customer information in original form. Customer management terminal equipment for supporting a transaction with a customer, based on customer information which includes customer identification information identifying the customer and transaction information relevant to the transaction with the identified customer, comprising: converting means (2) for converting the customer information including the customer identification information and the transaction information, which is updated for every transaction, into a two-dimensional bar code (6) for every transaction; and two-dimensional bar-code issuing means (3) for issuing said two-dimensional bar code (6) for every transaction as converted from the customer information by said converting means (2). The customer management terminal equipment according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said transaction information is relevant to a reserve service dedicated for a registered member of a membership organization. The customer management terminal equipment according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said transaction information is relevant to a time deposit in a bank or similar institution. The customer management terminal equipment according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said transaction information includes information on services for a customer at a service station. A customer managing method for managing transaction information of a customer in terms of customer identification information relevant to the customer, the transaction information being combined with the customer identification information to constitute customer information, comprising the steps: providing customer management terminal equipment (1) for supporting a transaction with the customer; converting on said customer management terminal equipment (1) first customer information, which includes the customer identification information relevant to the customer and first transaction information about a first transaction with the identified customer, into a first two-dimensional bar code (6); issuing on said customer management terminal equipment (1) said first two-dimensional bar code (6) for assignment to the identified customer; for a second or subsequent transaction with the identified customer, reading on said customer management terminal equipment (1) said first two-dimensional bar code (6) assigned to the identified customer; converting on said customer management terminal equipment (1) the read first two-dimensional bar code (6) into the first customer information about said first transaction with the identified customer so that the converted customer information for the first transaction serves to assist in streamlining said second or subsequent transaction with the identified customer; upon completion of said second transaction with the identified customer, converting on said customer management terminal equipment (1) second customer information, which includes the same identification information and second or subsequent transaction information collected as the result of said second or last transaction with the identified customer, into a second or subsequent two-dimensional bar code (6); and issuing on said customer management terminal equipment (1) said second or subsequent two-dimensional code (6) for assignment to the identified customer as an update. The customer managing method according to claim 6, wherein said transaction information is relevant to a reserve service dedicated for a registered member of a membership organization. The customer managing method according to claim 7, wherein said two-dimensional bar code (6) issued on said customer management terminal equipment for every transaction with the identified customer is labeled on a membership card to be carried by the identified customer. The customer managing method according to claim 6, wherein said transaction information is relevant to a time deposit in a bank or similar institution. The customer managing method according to claim 9, wherein said two-dimensional bar code (6) issued for said time deposit is labeled on a time deposit deed to be carried by the identified customer. The customer managing method according to claim 6, wherein said transaction information includes service information for the identified customer at a service station. The customer managing method according to claim 11, wherein said two-dimensional bar code (6) is labeled on a service card to be carried by the identified customer. The customer managing method according to claim 11, wherein said two-dimensional bar-code (6) is labeled on a vehicle, which is owned or used by the identified customer, when said vehicle is served by said service station. A customer management medium (7) adapted to be carried with a customer for managing customer information with respect to the customer, said customer information being stored in terms of a two-dimensional bar-code (6) labeled on said customer management medium, wherein said customer information includes customer identification information identifying the customer and transaction information with the identified customer, said transaction information being updated for every transaction, and wherein said two-dimensional bar code (6) is issued for every transaction with the identified customer and for assignment to the same customer and labeling on said customer management medium. A customer management medium according to claim 14, wherein said transaction information is relevant to a reserve service dedicated for a registered member of a membership organization. A customer management medium according to claim 14, wherein said transaction information is relevant to a time deposit in a bank or similar institution. A customer management medium according to claim 14, wherein said transaction information includes information on services for the identified customer at a service station.

Inventors: YOSHINAGA SHINICHI, YOSHINAGA, SHINICHI, YOSHINAGA, SHINICHI, C/O FUJITSU LIMITED
Applicants: FUJITSU LTD, FUJITSU LIMITED
Application year: 1994
Main classification: G06F17
IPC codes: G06K17, G06Q50, G06Q40, G06Q30, G06Q10